Raised in Syracuse, New York, she found success in the 70s as a model, working in New York and Paris (where she shared an apartment with Jerry Hall and Jessica Lange), before rising to public prominence as a singer and personality.
Jones secured a record deal with Island Records, which resulted in a string of club hits. The three disco albums she recorded - Portfolio (1977), Fame (1978), and Muse (1979) - generated dance singles such as Sorry That's The Trouble, I Need A Man, and a classic cover of La Vie En Rose. During this period, she also became a muse to Andy Warhol, appearing in his portraits and accompanying him to Studio 54 on many occasions.
As the 70s drew to a close, Jones adapted the emerging New Wave music to suit a different style, a significant departure from her previous output that resulted in some of her strongest work. Still with Island, and now working with producers Alex Sadkin and Chris Blackwell at Compass Point Studios, and with the considerable talents of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare (Sly & Robbie) behind her, she released the acclaimed Warm Leatherette (1980) and Nightclubbing (1981). These included re-imaginings of songs by Sting, Iggy Pop, The Pretenders, Roxy Music, Flash And The Pan, The Normal, and Tom Petty, as well as originals like the innuendo-filled Pull Up To The Bumper and the haunting I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango). Parallel to her musical shift was an equally dramatic visual departure; Jones - working heavily with style artist Jean-Paul Goude - adopted a severe, androgynous look that enhanced her already striking presence, the iconic cover of Nightclubbing exemplifying this new identity. Her collaboration with Sadkin and Blackwell continued with the dub reggae-influenced album Living My Life, which featured Nipple To The Bottle, The Apple Stretching, and the Jones-penned and much-sampled My Jamaican Guy.
Later in the 80s, she worked with Trevor Horn for the conceptual musical collage Slave to the Rhythm (1985), and with Nile Rodgers for Inside Story (1986) - her first album away from the Island label. Inside Story produced her last US Hot 100 hit to date, I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect For You), while Bulletproof Heart in 1989 produced the #1 US club hit Love on Top of Love - Killer Kiss, produced by C+C Music Factory's David Cole and Robert Clivilles. Though a chart regular in the UK Grace Jones never achieved mainstream musical success in the US, but most of her singles became huge hits in the dance underground.
Jones' strong visual presence was extended to her stage work. Her performances were unique spectacles as she adopted various personas and wore outlandish costumes throughout, particularly during her years with Goude. Her most memorable performances include the Paradise Garage in 1985, wherein she collaborated with legendary visual artist Keith Haring for her costume and the extraordinary One Man Show filmed in Drury Lane Theatre London and in New York and released on video in 1982 (it is yet to be re-released).
In 2008 she returned with the album "Hurricane".
Crush
Grace Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crush, rush
Rush, blush
Crush, crush
It's a crush
Come to my place and take of your shirt
Crush, crush
I'm need a rush
You make me blush
I gotta crush
You can getta way with murder
Push me a little bit further
You come to me with danger
Then treat me like a stranger
Got a crush, needa rush
You make me blush
I gotta crush
Let's not get heavy
Chemistry is insiteside
Don't fight decisions, baby
Don't leave them behind
Love me for a little while
With your cool decision
I'll work you with my file
She's no competition
Crush, I gotta rush
You make me blush
I gotta crush
We can getta way with murder
Crush me a little bit further
We say we are lovers
We love undercover
Crush, I gotta crush
You make me rush
You made me blush
You give me rush
Ah ha, You make me blush
Too close for comfort
Long as I don't get hurt
I gotta crush
It's a little to close for comfort
Long as I don't get hurt
'Cause, we can getta way with murder
Crush me a little bit further
Come to me in danger
Then treat me like a stranger
'Cause, we can getta way with murder
Crush me a little bit further
We say we are lovers
We love undercover
Crush, you make me blush
You make me rush, you play rough
Ah, I'm not tough, I gotta crush
I gotta crush, hypnotise me
I gotta crush, tantalise me
I gotta crush, mesmerise me
I gotta crush, hypnotise me
The lyrics to Grace Jones’s song Crush exude a sense of urgency and unbridled passion. Crush refers to a strong attraction or infatuation towards someone, and in this song, Jones sings about her crush and how it makes her feel. The first verse immediately sets the tone with “Crush, rush, Crush, rush.” The repetition of these words emphasizes the intense feeling of her attraction. She describes the person she has a crush on as someone who can get away with murder and push her further. This kind of danger and unpredictability only adds to her desire. Jones urges this person to come to her place and stay a while so she can soak in their presence. She sings, “You make me blush, I gotta crush,” conveying how this person has such a hold on her that it causes her to redden with embarrassment.
In the second verse, Jones speaks about getting heavy with this person and how they have good chemistry, indicating that there is a deeper connection beyond a simple crush. She says, “Don't fight decisions, baby, don't leave them behind” and “love me for a little while, with your cool decision,” suggesting she is open to a relationship with this person if they feel the same way. The chorus is repeated multiple times, emphasizing her need for this person and the hold they have over her. In the final lines of the song, Jones acknowledges the danger of getting so close to someone, but ultimately succumbs to their spell, singing, “I gotta crush, hypnotize me, tantalize me, mesmerize me.”
Line by Line Meaning
Crush, rush
The singer is feeling a strong crush and desire for someone, and is in a hurry to see them.
Rush, blush
Being around this person makes the singer feel a rush of excitement that also causes them to blush.
Crush, crush
The singer's feelings of infatuation are so strong that they are repeating the word 'crush'.
It's a crush
The singer acknowledges that their feelings for this person are indeed a crush.
Come to my place and take of your shirt
The singer is inviting the object of their affection over to their place and encouraging them to be comfortable and relaxed.
Stay a while, make you smile
The singer wants the other person to hang around and enjoy their company, hoping to bring a smile to their face.
You can getta way with murder
The singer feels powerless around this person and suggests that they could do anything and still get away with it.
Push me a little bit further
The singer is willing to take risks for the person they are crushing on and wants to be pushed to the limit.
You come to me with danger
The other person represents a sense of danger to the singer, perhaps adding to their excitement.
Then treat me like a stranger
Despite the singer's crush, they feel like the other person sometimes keeps their distance or acts aloof.
Let's not get heavy
The singer wants to maintain a light, fun relationship and not get too deep or emotional.
Chemistry is insiteside
The singer feels a strong connection with the other person that goes beyond just physical attraction.
Don't fight decisions, baby
The singer wants the other person to stop overthinking things and just follow their heart.
Don't leave them behind
The singer doesn't want the other person to miss out on the opportunity for a relationship with them.
Love me for a little while
The singer wants the other person to give them a chance and try being in a relationship with them.
With your cool decision
The singer admires the other person's casual, confident approach to life and decisions.
I'll work you with my file
The singer is confident in their own qualities and skills and believes they can impress the other person.
She's no competition
The singer is confident in their own attractiveness and believes they are the best choice for the other person.
We say we are lovers
The singer and the other person have a secret relationship, pretending to be just friends to others.
We love undercover
The singer wants to keep their relationship a secret and avoid drawing attention to it.
Too close for comfort
Being around the other person sometimes feels overwhelming and uncomfortable for the singer.
Long as I don't get hurt
The singer is willing to take risks but doesn't want to get hurt in the process.
I gotta crush
The singer repeats that they have a crush on the other person, emphasizing its intensity.
Hypnotise me
The singer wants the other person to hold their attention and be irresistible.
Tantalise me
The singer wants the other person to tease them and make them desire them even more.
Mesmerise me
The singer wants the other person to fascinate and captivate them completely.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Grace Jones, Bruce Wooley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind